Mister No's Pics & Vids

プラレール SLあそBOY / SL ASO BOY

SL HITOYOSHI

A nostalgic train ride where you can hear, smell and feel the power of the locomotive. Enjoy the sounds, smoke and vibrations of a powerful steam locomotive along with the untouched beauty of the Kuma River. This very popular train has observation cars as well as a historical display. 

Imagine taking a trip through some of Kyushu’s most beautiful scenery in an old fashioned steam train. A plume of smoke flows from the engine as the train runs through the forested countryside and the haunting pipe of the steam whistle echoes through the Kuma River valley.





This train is the SL Hitoyoshi: a steam-driven holiday sightseeing train operated by JR Kyushu that runs between Kumamoto and Hitoyoshi stations. The SL Hitoyoshi makes just one round trip per day and runs mainly on weekends and holidays between March and November.



At each station passengers are free to get off, chat with the locomotive engineers, and take pictures until a bell is run to signal that it is time to get back on board. Some of the stations have their own attractions. At Isshochi Station unique lucky charms and a variety of local food and drinks products are on sale. At Hitoyoshi Station you can watch the locomotive being rotated on a turntable, buy a chestnut rice lunch box from a vendor on the platform, and see the only stone carbarn in Japan.



The steam locomotive that pulls the train is JGR Class 8620 number 58654. This engine was built in 1922 and it is the oldest working steam locomotive in Japan. Behind the engine are three specially renovated vintage carriages with wooden flooring and seats upholstered with real leather and other fine fabrics. The luxurious interiors of the train carriages were designed by Eiji Mitooka who also designed the Seven Stars in Kyushu luxury cruise train, the JR Kyushu Sweet Train, and the Kawasemi Yamasemi sightseeing train.



The carriages feature observation lounges in cars 1 and 3 and a bar in car 2 selling local beverages such as craft beer, shochu liquor, and citrus flavored sodas. Bento lunch boxes and shochu flavored ice creams are also available. All passengers receive special commemorative tickets and cabin attendants will be happy to take your picture with the train. There are also railway uniforms available for children to dress up in for a really memorable picture. It is certainly a very elegant train!



The train livery is painted chocolate with grey roofs and SL Hitoyoshi motifs and lettering in gold. In 2020, JR Kyushu repainted the SL Hitoyoshi black to replicate the Mugen Train from the anime film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train for a limited run from Kumamoto Station to Hakata Station from November 1 to November 26.



The Class 8620 (8620形) is a type of 2-6-0 steam locomotive built in Japan from 1914 to 1929. A total of 672 Class 8620 locomotives were built. A total of 42 Class 8620 locomotives were built for Imperial Taiwan Railway from 1919 to 1928. After World War II, they were taken over by Taiwan Government Railways, and were classified CT150.


ウツダー - BSデジタル号@那良口～渡その3 BSデジタル号@那良口～渡その3
CC BY 2.1 jp File:JNR 58654 bs-digital-go 20100904 001.jpg Created: 4 September 2010


Sources: 

Japan Station / Japan Transportation Guide / japanstation.com
JR Kyushu Railway Company / jrkyushu.co.jp
SL Hitoyoshi / JGR Class 8620 / Wikipedia

Other trains in this video:

Shin-Keisei 80000 https://youtu.be/emFF8uNbc5E
Meitetsu 510 https://youtu.be/1jZ_Hz2N_hQ

Music:

Horses & Trains / Jesse Gallagher
Twilight Train / Dan Lebowitz
All the Fixings / Zachariah Hickman



I really wanted this beautiful train, and was very happy when the postman came today! The loco has exquisite details, and the luxury carriage is wonderful, with a big observation window (real clear plastic window, not a hole or a paint), and a space to put plakids in. Very special train!